| Each day, hundreds of thousands of Americans are
touched by one of the coal industry’s most notable, environmentally
significant achievements – the reclamation of mined lands. And chances
are, they don’t even know it. That’s because most of the reclamation
achieved by the coal industry is "invisible" – the land is
returned to a condition matching or improving its original use. Unless
there is a sign or other form of identification nearby, it’s virtually
impossible to tell that a reclaimed site was once an active coal mine.
Reclaimed land benefits people in two ways: first, as a source of
plentiful and reasonably priced coal energy; and second, as productive,
attractive and useful areas providing utility and recreation once the
mine site is restored. Whether turned into a park, a housing
development, a wildlife preserve, or returned to productive farm land,
these sites represent a continuing legacy to the coal industry’s
commitment to responsible environmental stewardship. |
Reclaimed coal mine in Southern Illinois includes a quiet fishing
lake. |
| Regulated under the Surface Mining Control and
Reclamation Act (SMCRA), comprehensive and effective reclamation is a
standard and integral part of coal mining operations. An estimated 2.5
million acres of coal mined lands have been restored to productive use.
In addition, more than 100,000 acres of abandoned mines, remnants of
neglect from a long-gone mining era, have also been reclaimed through
money paid by today’s coal producers into a national trust fund. |
Caribou prosper on land reclaimed by Usibelli Coal Mine in Alaska. |
| Before a company can begin extracting coal, a multitude of government
permits – federal, state and local – are required. The process of
obtaining these permits is time-consuming and costly, requiring
painstaking analyses of the mining site. Once all the necessary
information is compiled – a process that can take three years or
longer – the coal company files for a permit application. The law
requires that a period of time then be allowed for public review and
comment so that citizen concerns are adequately addressed. Additionally,
a coal operator must post a performance bond sufficient to cover the
cost of restoring the site to assure reclamation (ranging as high as
$10,000 per acre). This must be done before a permit can be granted. The
bond is not finally released until the final revegetation of the site
has been determined to be successful – this time period could be up to
ten years following reclamation. |
Hydroseeding is often used to help restore mined areas to their original
or better condition. |
| Each day in locations across the country, companies which are working
hard to mine the coal needed to power our homes and industries are
applying an equally intense effort to restore the land they have
disturbed. Reclaimed mine sites are returned to productive use in a
variety of ways that will benefit generations to come. |
Before |
After
A site reclaimed by Starvaggi Industries in West Virginia is developed
into the Star Lake Amphitheater. |
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